Your SSAF at TUSA
We’re here to ensure that every student’s experience at University of Tasmania is the best it can be. To achieve this, TUSA is committed to responsibly allocating funding that delivers student-centric initiatives which represent the needs and interests of our diverse community.
Your SSAF at work through our major programs and activities:
How is TUSA Funded?
The Students’ Association is funded through a portion of your Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) – a compulsory part of your university fees.
In 2023, out of the total funding allocation of $5,240,100, about 19.5% is allocated to TUSA. Below are the breakdown of how we allocate your SSAF to our services:
| 2023 Funding Category: Tasmanian University Student Association (TUSA), including | Indicative 2023 budget allocation |
| Sustain and support program: equity & diversity, mental health & wellbeing, legal service, student advocacy, food insecurity | $452,500 |
| Student experience and activation: Clubs & societies events, admin & support, orientation & welcome, other events | $493,000 |
| Learning and development: Clubs & societies development program | $15,000 |
| State Council: Student-led communications and engagement through Togatus and Student Media Team | $61,500 |
|
Total |
$1,022,000 |
IMPORTANT NOTE:
As a student, even if you choose to opt out of your TUSA membership, you still have to pay the full SSAF. There’s no financial advantage to not being a TUSA member.
Students and TUSA’s elected student representatives provide inputs to the University on how SSAF would be best spent each year. The TUSA is funded only for the services it provides students – like advocacy and welfare, student events, and student development opportunities. The remainder of SSAF is allocated to support a range of online and on campus facilities, resources and activities provided by the University.
As of July 2023, the following are TUSA’s programs and activities participation data and evidence of Impact.
| TUSA Student Promise | Programs & Services | Availability of Services Online | No. of Students Touchpoints or Accessing Services as of 31 July 2023 |
| Sustain & Support Programs & Services | TUSA Equity and Diversity Program | No | Up to 1,000 |
| TUSA Mental Health & Wellbeing Program | No | N/A – August initiative | |
| TUSA Student Legal Service | Yes | 137 student caseloads | |
| TUSA Food Resilience Program | Partial | 57 x $50 food vouchers
694 Freshie Bags 950kg+ food rescued from landfill |
|
| TUSA Student Advocacy | Yes | 380 student caseloads | |
| Student Experience & Activation Programs & Services | TUSA Clubs & Societies Grants | Partial | 2,770 touchpoints |
| General & Personal Accident Insurance (C&S members) |
Yes | 6,676 students | |
| Orientation & Welcome Program
(Semester 1) |
Partial | 71 events
7,209 touchpoints |
|
| TUSA Clubs & Societies Events | Partial | 1,324 events
29,996 touchpoints |
|
| TUSA Signature Events | No | 3 events
2762 touchpoints
|
|
| C&S Signature Events | No | 2 events
1735 touchpoints |
|
| TUSA/UTAS Shared Events | No | Not available as held within the UTAS reporting platform | |
| Learning & Development Programs & Services | TUSA Clubs & Societies Development Program | Yes | 246 touchpoints |
| State Council | Togatus | Yes | 2023 UniGuide – 700 copies Togatus 2023 Edition 1 – 450 copies Number of articles/online posts published: 9 Total online reads: 1,309 |
| Student Media Team | Yes | Media Projects (incl. Photo Opportunities): 20 Active members: 8 5 Newsletter, 5,810 recipients, 12,271 total reads (average open rate of 48.79%) |
Your SSAF at work through TUSA Programs and Services Summary
Sustain and Support Programs and Services
| TUSA Student Promises | Programs/Services Delivered | Full Year
SSAF Funding/Budget |
| We’ll work with you to make a difference | SUSTAIN & SUPPORT BUDGET
|
$452,500 |
TUSA Student Advocacy Service
- TUSA Student Advocates provide free advocacy and support services to all University of Tasmania (UTAS) students, face-to-face and online.
- The Student Advocacy Service assisted 380 students in the reportable period, a significant increase compared with 297 students at the same time last year.
- Common themes include student financial hardship, housing, and Academic Integrity.
TUSA Student Legal Service – Youth Law Australia Partnership
- The Student Legal Service is a free and confidential legal service for all UTAS students, supported by the Tasmanian University Student Association (TUSA) and Youth Law Australia.
- In the reportable period, the Student Legal Services assisted 137 students, a significant increase compared with 115 students at the same time last year.
- The Student Legal Service provides legal help to any UTAS student in most areas of law including:
- Minor criminal law matters
- University issues, including disciplinary matters.
- Discrimination
- Abuse and harassment, including family violence and sexual harassment.
- Issues connected with student visas for international students.
- Employment and rights at work
- Housing and accommodation
- Credit and debt
- Consumer law
- Fines and accidents
- The Student Legal Service, in partnership with the Faculty of Law, delivers the Clinical Legal Education Unit and provides several workshops to the student community (e.g., Permanent Residency Information Session)
- The Student Legal Service is also working in partnership with Bleyer Lawyers for complex migration matters.
TUSA Food Resilience Program & Basic Needs Services
TUSA’s Food Resilience Program endeavours to deliver meaningful programs to help address food insecurity concerns within the UTAS student community.
- The Freshie Bag scheme offered during the reportable period was the premier program, sourcing fresh and healthy fruit and vegetables redistributed from potential landfill. The scheme was available to students on the Sandy Bay Campus during Semester 1, available free of charge due to a collaboration with food redistributor Loaves and Fishes. Plans are underway to expand the Freshie Bag scheme in the North and Northwest in late 2023, whilst opening the TUSA Food Hub in the South in July 2023.
- 694 Freshie Bags were issued during the reportable period, a significant increase compared with 465 at the same time last year.
- Over the reporting period, 57 x $50 Woolworths vouchers were supplied to students requiring emergency food support, on par with the same time last year. Additionally, an emergency food supply is available through the Student Advocacy Service to support students on a drop-in basis.
- Personal hygiene products are stocked year-round on all main Tasmanian campuses to support students on a drop-in basis. Products include sanitary and sexual health products.
- In partnership with the University’s IT Department, recycled and reimaged laptops are provided to students in need. 22 laptops and 1 desktop were provided during the reportable period, across all campuses and distance, an increase compared with 19 laptops at the same time last year.
Student Experience and Activation Programs and Services
| TUSA Student Promises | Programs/Services Delivered | Full Year
SSAF Funding/Budget |
| We’ll help you explore and enjoy your time at UTAS | STUDENT EXPERIENCE & ACTIVATION BUDGET
|
$493,000 |
TUSA Clubs & Societies Program
- Clubs and Societies play an important role in the overall student experience, creation of community, and contribute to student retention for students at UTAS.
- Funding for the Clubs & Societies program is used to support, administer, and promote clubs, societies, and sporting events on all campuses, including:
- Grants approved by the TUSA Clubs & Societies Grant Committee for capital and equipment purchases, running costs such as affiliation fees, insurance, venue hire fees and other legitimate SSAF funded expenses.
- General and personal accident insurance.
- Events, including Clubs & Societies Day, Orientation and Open Day, etc.
- Social sports to encourage participation on a state-wide basis.
- Celebratory events.
- To be eligible for a grant from TUSA, Clubs and Societies must have at least 51% student membership.
- Membership and engagement of students is significant with 6,676 members across 98 affiliated Clubs & Societies during the reporting period.
- As of 30th June 2023, Clubs & Societies membership is made up of
- 5,970 enrolled UTAS students
- 706 associate members
- Totalling 6,676 Clubs & Societies members
- Locations of Clubs & Societies are as follows:
- 23 Statewide
- 57 Hobart
- 15 Launceston
- 1 Cradle Coast
- 2 Sydney
- 6 New Clubs & Societies were formed during the reportable period. They include:
- Student Music Collective
- Laboratory Medicine Society
- Quadball Club (Statewide)
- Analogue Photographic Society
- Tasmanian Students for Palestine Society
- Tasmanian University Information Communication Technology Society
- As of the end of June 2023, 93% of Clubs and Societies utilise QPay, building to full compliance.
TUSA/Shared Events Program
- TUSA delivered an extensive Orientation and Welcome Program during the reportable period to support Semester 1 commencing and continuing students.
- 71 events were held, many conducted in collaboration with Colleges/Schools and the Communities Team.
- 7,209 student engagement touchpoints occurred during the program.
- Clubs & Societies Signature Events held during the reportable period include:
-
- Eid Festival, approx. 1000 attendees
- Engi Laneway, 735 attendees
- TUSA Signature Events held during the reportable period include:
-
- Clubs & Societies Day (Hobart), 2,344 attendees
- Clubs & Societies Day (Launceston), 346 attendees
- Clubs & Societies Day (Cradle Coast), 72 attendees
- TUSA/UTAS Shared Events held during the reportable period include:
- TUSA Alumni Event (Hobart), 25 attendees
- Orientation and Welcome week programs (all campuses), see above.
- IDAHOBIT (all campuses)
- TUSA Clubs and Societies
- 1,324 events, programs, initiatives, and activities were organised and hosted by student Clubs and Societies during the reportable period across Tasmania and New South Wales.
- 29,996 student attendees across all events, activities, initiatives, and programs led by student Clubs and Societies across Tasmania and New South Wales.
Learning and Development Programs and Services
| TUSA Student Promises | Programs/Services Delivered | Full Year
SSAF Funding/Budget |
| We’ll help you develop and grow | LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT BUDGET
|
$15,000 |
TUSA Clubs & Societies Development Program
- Drug & Alcohol Awareness Program
- Delivery of Drug and Alcohol awareness training to Clubs & Societies that run events where drugs and alcohol may be present and how to manage people under the influence.
- 18 student attendees
- Sexual Assault First Aid Training
- Delivery of Sexual Trauma First Aid to Clubs & Societies to provide practical skills and evidence-based knowledge to respond to disclosure in a trauma-informed best-practice manner.
- 13 student attendees.
- DISC Profile Assessment
- DiSC personal assessment provided to TUSA State Council members and TUSA Experience Leaders. DiSC model provides a common language people can use to better understand themselves and those they interact with to reduce conflict and improve working relationships.
- 12 student attendees
- HDR Grants workshops
- Grants information and writing workshops held to assist HDR students in successfully applying for grants to support their research.
- 49 candidate attendees.
- Clubs & Societies Grants workshops.
- Grants information and writing workshops held to assist clubs & societies students successfully applying for grants to support their activities.
- 16 candidate attendees.
- Bystander Violence Prevention Workshops
- Collaboration between TUSA, Hobart Women’s Shelter and the Women’s Legal Service of Tasmania, providing training and development for students to be aware of violence and how to provide assistance.
- 5 student attendees.
Communications and Engagement Programs and Services
| TUSA Student Promises | Programs/Services Delivered | Full Year
SSAF Funding/Budget |
| We’ll create a vibrant and contemporary student representative association | STATE COUNCIL BUDGET
|
$61,500 |
Student Led Communications & Media Program
- The Student Led Communications & Media Program supports the production and dissemination of student-led media with a focus on showcasing student talents and achievements.
- TUSA continued to focus on increasing online engagement and readership through the TUSA website tusa.org.au, newsletter, and social media.
- Togatus
- TUSA supports the operational costs for the University of Tasmania independent student magazine, published by TUSA since 1931.
- Togatus produces four print editions each year and features student news on its website https://togatus.com.au/.
- Student Media Team
- The Student Media Team is paid an honorarium to capture moments, create creative design, video content and editing services.
- TUSA currently has 8 Student Media Team members.